Jason Bay smashed two home runs to help the Boston Red Sox hold off the Los Angeles Angels 5-4 in the American League on Saturday.
The outfielder put the Red Sox ahead to stay at 4-3 with a two-run homer in the seventh, then hit a solo-shot in the ninth.
“Thankfully, we get the tack-on run or we’re probably still playing,” Red Sox manager Terry Francona told reporters.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Los Angeles pulled within 5-4 on Torii Hunter’s leadoff homer in the bottom of the ninth and had the bases loaded when Howie Kendrick flied out to right to end the game.
Mike Lowell also hit a two-run homer for the Red Sox, who ended a three-game losing streak.
The game was the second for the Angels since the death of pitcher Nick Adenhart in a car crash on Thursday. The Angels beat the Red Sox 6-3 on Friday following a tribute to Adenhart.
Mike Napoli hit two solo home runs for the Angels in the third and fifth innings. Their other run came from on a ground out in the first.
Brad Penny, making his American League debut, was credited with the win. The former Dodgers pitcher went six innings, giving up five hits and three runs. He struck out two and walked two.
Standout closer Jonathan Papelbon earned the save despite struggling in the ninth.
Papelbon gave up a double to Kendry Morales after the home run to Hunter and walked Napolis with one out.
Erick Aybar struck out before Chone Figgins walked to load the bases. Kendrick then hit seven foul balls on an 0-2 count before flying out.
Joe Saunders took the loss, pitching seven innings. He gave up seven hits and four runs, including Bay’s two-run homer.
“I was kicking myself after that pitch,” Saunders said. “I failed to execute that one pitch, and I think that was the difference in the game.”
INDIANS 5, BLUE JAYS 4
Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee lost his second consecutive start as Cleveland remained the American League’s only winless team after losing to Toronto on Saturday.
The Indians have started off 0-5 for the first time in 24 years.
Roy Halladay (2-0), a 20-game winner last season who finished second to Lee in Cy Young balloting, held Cleveland to one run and five hits in seven innings.
Lee (0-2) gave up four runs and seven hits over five innings, and now has a 9.90 ERA.
Aaron Hill had two RBIs for Toronto, which improved to 5-1 — its best start since 2001.
YANKEES 6, ROYALS 1
At Kansas City, Missouri, CC Sabathia rebounded smartly from his disappointing Yankees debut and Jorge Posada and Nick Swisher drove in three runs apiece in New York win.
Sabathia, signed to a US$161 million, seven-year contract in the offseason, gave up only six singles in 7 2-3 scoreless innings. It was a far cry from opening day in Baltimore when the lefty lasted just 4 1-3 innings in a 10-5 loss. Kansas City’s Horacio Ramirez (0-1) gave up six runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings.
WHITE SOX 8, TWINS 0
At Chicago, Bartolo Colon pitched six strong innings and Carlos Quentin homered to lead the home team to victory. After a rough spring training, Colon (1-0) handled Minnesota’s lineup with relative ease. He allowed just three hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
Francisco Liriano (0-2) was tagged for five runs and six hits in 4 2-3 innings for Minnesota.
TIGERS 4, RANGERS 3
At Detroit, Placido Polanco hit a tiebreaking double and five Detroit pitchers combined on a two-hitter.
In other AL games it was:
• Mariners 8, Athletics 5
• Orioles 6, Rays 0
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